Image forming apparatus

Abstract

An image forming apparatus, including: an image carrier; an exposure section, having a light emitting surface which is positioned above the image carrier, to focus the light rays on the surface of the image carrier; a cleaning section, having a cleaning member, to make the cleaning member to come into contact with the light emitting surface and to move the cleaning member on the light emitting surface, so that the cleaning member removes dust particles accumulated on the light emitting surface, wherein the cleaning section makes the cleaning member to move to an outside of an end portion of the light emitting surface; and a dust receiving section, mounted under the outside of the end portion of the light emitting surface, to receive the dust particles removed from the light emitting surface by the cleaning section.

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 an image carrier; 
 an exposure section, including in a unit:
 a light source in which plural light emitting bodies are aligned; 
 a lens array which focuses the light rays emitted from the light source at the surface of the image carrier mounted below the exposure section, wherein the exposure section is opened by being moved in an upper direction; and 
 a light emitting surface which is positioned above the image carrier, to focus the light rays on a surface of the image carrier; 
 
 a hinge section to support the exposure section so that a distance between the exposure section and image carrier is altered during opening or shuttering of the image forming apparatus; 
 a cleaning section, having a cleaning member, to make the cleaning member to come into contact with the light emitting surface, and to move the cleaning member on the light emitting surface, so that the cleaning member removes dust particles accumulated on the light emitting surface, wherein the cleaning section makes the cleaning member to move to an outside of an end portion of the light emitting surface; and 
 a dust receiving section, mounted under the outside of the end portion of the light emitting surface, to receive the dust particles removed from the light emitting surface by the cleaning section, wherein the dust receiving section includes 
 an opening section facing the light emitting surface of the exposure section, and 
 plural dust receiving pocket sections to receive the dust particles removed by the cleaning member, 
 wherein the plural dust receiving pocket sections are positioned above outsides of both ends of the image carrier in an axial direction of the image carrier. 
 
     
     
       2. The image forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the dust receiving section includes a barrier to prevent the dust particles from scattering outside the pocket section. 
     
     
       3. The image forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning section makes the cleaning member to move along the opening section. 
     
     
       4. The image forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a surface of the dust receiving section facing the image carrier is configured to shape along the surface of the image carrier. 
     
     
       5. The image forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the exposure section is supported by a supporting member to alter the distance between the exposure section and the image carrier by a hinge. 
     
     
       6. The image forming apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising
 plural image carriers; and 
 plural exposure sections, 
 wherein the plural image carriers and the plural exposure sections are united in a single unit.